Internal-combustion engine.



E. W. GRAEF.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APILIOATION FILED Nov. 13. 1905.

Patented July 6, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. W. GRAEP.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 1905.

m mm Patented July 6, 1909.

4 snmws-snzm 2 q/qhtmeooco I E. w. GRAEF. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

. APPLICATION rum) nov. 13, 1905. 927,233. Patented July 6, 1909. 4 sums-sum a.

Warm woe-a E. W. GRAEF. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1905.

Patented July 6, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED strarns PATENT -o'inuonf.

ERNEST W. GRAEF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNORTO ELIZABETH J. GRAEF, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IN TERN ILL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed November 13, 1905. Serial No. 287,051.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST W. GRAnF, a citizen of the United States, residing in New .York city, borough of Brooklyn, NewYork,

have invented certain new and .usefullmprovements 1n Internal-Combustion Engines,

of which the following is a specification.

hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claim. 1 Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming art hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a front e ovation of an internal combustion heat engine embodying my invention, Fig. 1 a is a detail plan view of a portion of the main cam shafts, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the engine, parts being removed, Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view substantially on the line 3, 3, in Fig. 2, Fig. 4-is a of the casing, as at the rear ir Fig. 2, igs. 5, 6 and 7 'are detail views of cams hereinafter explained, Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the engine looking from'the right hand side in Fig. 1, parts being broken away, Fig. 8 is a detail of camshaft gearing, Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view, substantially on the line 9, 9,

in Fig. 2, parts being broken away, Fig. 10 is a plan view of a cylinder, partly broken on the line 10, 10 in Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a side view of a cylinder, partly broken illustrating the exhaust valve and gas inlet channel, Fig.12 is a partly broken detail view of a cylinder illustrating channels more fully hereinafter describetLFig- 13 is a detail sectional view of cam shaft gearing, Fig. 13 is a sectional detail of part thereof, Fig. 14 is a side view of a cylinder, parts being broken away illustrating the compressed-air valve devices.

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view sub in Figs. 12 and 17. detail view, partly broken away, of a )ortion manner.

'plained.

stantially, on. the plane of the line 15, 15 in Fig. '14, Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view of part of a cylinder illustrating gas inlet and exhaust valves and passages, Fig. 17 is a partly broken side View of a cylinder illustrating various ports and passages, and Fig. 18 1s a sectlonal (let-all view of the cam shafts.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates cylinders, which may generally beef. usual form and may be provided with water j ack ets 2 in any approved manner.

At 3 is a main crank shaft connected by rods 4 with pistons 1 in the cylinders in well known manner. In the example of engine illustrated in the drawings, I have shown six cylinders and six corresponding cranks on shaft 3, although it will be understood that my invention contemplates utilizing any desired number of cylinders and cranks.

5 indicates the gas or fuelintake valves .for the cylinders (Figs. 9 and 16) which in the form shown are of the puppetgtype, and said valves are shown communicating with channels or passages 6 .in the walls of the cylinders, which passages at one part open through the sides of the cylinders, as shown If desired, a plurality of valves 5' may be provided for each cylinder' communicating with the corresponding passage 6.

At.7 are exhaust valvesfor each cylinder, which in the exam 1e shown communicate with passages 8 in t 1e wallsfof the cylinders that open through the outer walls (see Figs.

9, 16 and17), the exhaust products of combustion escaping through said passages on the out strokes of the pistons in well known The valves 7 have stems 7 a controlled by springs 9 in well known manner for keeping the valves closed, which valves are to be e ened by cams as hereinafter exhe cylinders shown are also provided with main exhaust outlets or passages 10 (see Figs. 9 and 1 7) which open through the outer walls of the cylinders, which exhaust passages communicate with the intorior ofthe cylinders in such position that as the pistons about complete their forward or I trated improved means for supplying the and illustrated as located in openings 13 in working strokes they will uncover said outlets or passages to permit the sudden dis charge of the main portion of the spent products of combustion or compressed air as hereinafter explained.

At 11 (see Figs. 2 and 15) are igniters or sparking devices operated by rods 12 and which may be of any suitable construction, being shown of the make and break type,

the wall of the respective cylinders, the rods 12 being controlled by cams as hereinafter explained. It will be understood, however, that if preferred the jump spark system of ignition may be provided and controlled by the last named cams, in well known manner; also that the fuel inlet valves 5 may be mechanically controlled in well known manner instead of operating by suction.

The parts so far described may generally be of well known construction, preferably arranged substantially as illustrated. 1

At 14 (see Figs. 14 and 15) are indicated inlet valves communicating with certain of the cylinders 1, for admitting compressed air or other fluid under pressure for starting the engine, and which valves will be thrown out of action after the engine has commenced to run by means of the gas charges, mechanism for controlling and operating the valves 14 being hereinafter described. The valves 14 control passages 15 that communicate with the compression spaces of the cylinders (Fig. 15) and open through the walls of the cylinders (Figs. 14 and 17) for receiving a supply of fluid under pressure.

In the accompanying drawings I have illus fuel, compressed fluid, and 000 mg water passages, and for discharging the exhaust products and cooling water as follows:-A lollow' casing 16 is firmly attached to the walls of the cylinder 1, as by screws 17 which casing is shown provided with suitable man-holes 18 having covers 17 (some of the covers being omitted for clearness of illustration) and at one end an outlet 19, the part of the casing that fits against the cylinders having openings or an open portion that register with the gas, compressed air, cooling water, and exhaust passages of the cylinders. The casing 16is provided with a cored passage 20 having an inlet opening 21 to which a fuel supply pipe is to be attached, and in Fig. 2 the passage 20 is shown extending on opposite sides of the central inlet 21 and provided with branches 20 that communicate with the gas or fuel inlet passages 6 (see Fig. 4) whereby the fuel supply for the various cylinders may be taken from the main assage 20. By having the central inlet 21 or passage 20 an even distribution of the fuel in so that tion with respect to the passage 20 is provided. ,TllO exhaust passages 8 open lllln the casing-l6 (Fig. 16) so as Z 7 in dmdn-ugcspvnl n'odncts lrom the exhaust valves 7 into the casing, and the main discharge passages 10 also lead into the casing 16 (Fig. 9)-as through an opening 10, and by preference I provide shields 22 over the passages or outlets 10, 1O to direct the exhaust products from the cylinders downwardly into casing 16 (see Fig. 9). Within casing 16 1s a cooling water supply pipe 23 that is tapped off to the lower part of the jacket 2 of each cylinder, as bybranch pipes 24 (see Figs. 8 and 17), and from said ackets 2, preferably at their up er parts, pipes 25 lead into casing 16, prefera ly entering its wall at the upper part (see Fig. 14) so that the heated water from the cylinder jackets will flow downwardly, as in a spray, within the casing from whence it will 'esca e through outlet 19. Supply pipe 23 is s own connected by a branch pi e 26-with a pump 27 (see Figs. 2 and 8) w lich pump may be operated by the engine as heremafter explained. At 28 is a ipe for supplying compressed air or other iiuid under pressure to one or more of the cylinders for starting the engine, and said pipe is shown located within casing 16 and may be supplied with compressed air from a reservoir (not shown) into which air may be pumped by a pump 29 operated by the .engines as hereinafter explained. In the six cylinder t e of engine illustrated in the drawings l li ave shown provision for sup lying com ressed air to three of the cylinders,

By having the corresponding cranks set on thirds there will always be one iston ,ready for action when the compresse air is let into the cylinders. The pipe 28 is shown provided with branches 28 that lead to the 1 air passages 15 (see Figs. 2 and 14) so that a supply of compressed air may be maintained ready for use when the valves 14 are thrown into action.

The means I have shown for operating and controlling the exhaust valves 7, the air inlet valves 14, and the igniters or sparking devices 11 are as follows :At 30 is a shaft ex tending lengthwise of the engine and shown supported to rock upon hangers or bearings 31, secured to casing 16. Shaft 30 carries suitable brackets 32 in which are journaled camshafts 33, 34 whose axes are on a circle described around the axis of shaft 30. By means of a suitable handle 35 attached to shaft 30, and guided or held by a suitable rack orthe like 36, the cam-shafts 33 and 34 may be rocked laterally into and out of ac valves, as desired,

by rocking shaft 30. The shafts 33, 34 each carry suitably shaped cams 37 (see Figs. 1',

rods or stems 7 to open the exhaust valves 7. Wlnle the valve rods 7 may bear directly upon the cams 37, or have lnterposed rollers 3 and 11 the valve rods 7 as bearing upon rocker arms 7" having roll'crs 7, which arms 0 and 7) for operating the exhaust-valvein well known manner, I have shown in Figs.

are pivotally supported upon the cylinder walls, as at 7 Upon the shafts 33, and 34 are cams 38 (see Figs. 1, 3, 5, 9 and 14) adapted to operate'the igniters 11' through the rods 12. In order to control the action of the igniters or sparkers at will, and to advance or retard the spark, I provide a rock shaft 39that is hung in suitable brackets or .bearings 40 secured upon the walls ofthe cylinders, which shaft carries crank arms 39 to which are connected arms 41 that are adapted to be pushed forwardly over the cams 38 (see Figs. 3 and 10) when shaft 39 is rocked, as by a handled-2 attached thereto. I have shown the arms 41 as pivotally connected with the rods 12 of the igniters (see Fig. 10) so that as the cams 38 pass under the ends of arms 31 the igniter rods 12 will be reciprocated to operate the igniters. In order to relieve the full extent of arms 41 .from the rapid movements imparted by the cams 38 I have shown the arms 41 in Fig. 10 as divided into two parts providing a short part 41 connected with the part 41 as by a along a corresponding number of cylinders with respect to cams 38. I

To control the operation of theair inlet valves 14 I provide a rock shaft 45 extending and journaled, if desired, .upon the brackets 40 and provided with a handle 46. Shaft 45 has cranks 47 that are pivotally connected with arms 48 having rollers 49 at their free ends adapted to extend over and be operated by cams 50 on each of the shafts 33 and 34 (see Figs. 3, 5, 9 and .14),thestems 14 of the air valves 14 being located over the arms 48 so as to be raised thereby as the cams 50 operate said arms. As I have shown three cylinders 1 provided with air inlet valves 14 there will be three cams 50 on each shaft 33 and 34, and when shaft 45 is rocked to push the arms .48 over the cams 50 the val'ves14 will be actuated, and when shaft 45 is rocked back to draw arms 48 from said cams the air valves 14 will be out of action and the engine may operate in all the cylinders as a gas ongme. rams 50 may rest upon supports 51. carried by the cylinders. The cams upon shafts 33, 34 will be so shaped or set as to respectively provide for forward or reverse rotation of shaft .3, and as in a four cycle engine the oxhaust valves 7 and the sparking devices 11 should operate at every two complete revo- By'meking the shaft 39.

The arms 48 when "withdrawn fromlutions of the engine shaft, the exhaust and igniter cams will be shaped accordingly and the shafts 33, 34 will be rotated at the proper speed or what is called half-time as presently explained. As it is preferable to adinit the compressed air for starting the eh- I gine at each forward stroke of the corresponding pistons the cams 50 will be made as in Fig. 6 with opposed projecting portions 50 so that as said cams are rotated by the half-time shafts 33, 34 the valves 14 will be unseated at each complete rotation of shaft 3. When the engine is to be driven forward, in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 9, shaft 30 will be rocked so as to bring one of the shafts, as 33, under the valve operating arms, and to start the engine the shaft 45 will be rocked to project the arms 48 over the cams 50, and then after the engine has been started by the compressed air in, say, three of the cylinders, and the explosions of fuel mixture have commenced in the other cylinders, then the arms 48 will be withdrawn from cams 50 and all the cylinders will operate with fuel explosions. Likewise, if the engine is to be reversed, shaft 30 will be rocked reversely so as to bring its cam shaft 134 in operative position with respect to the valve arms, shaft 45 will be rocked toproject its arms 48 over cams 50 of shaft 3-4, and then withdrawn after the explosions have commenced. If it is desired to throw the engine entirely out of aetion,-shaft 30 may be rocked half way between its working limits, as in the position shown in Fig. 18, so that none ofthe cams on shafts 33, 34 will be presented in. line with the valve operating arms, in which event compression in the cylinders serves to assist in stopping the en gine.

The means I have shown for rotating the cam shafts 33, 34 are as follows :,Upon shaft 3 is a spiral gear 55 meshing'with a similar gear on a vertically disposed shaft 57. journaled in suitable bearings and provided with a gear 58 that meshes with a gear 59 on .a short shaft 60 that carries a gear 61, the shaft 60 being shown in axial alinement with shaft 30. In Fig. 13 I have shown shaft 60 provided with a socket in its end receiving the reduced projecting portion 30 of shaft 30 whereby said shafts assist in supporting and alining each other and have the same axial rotation with respect to cam shafts 33 and 34. Shaft 33 has a gear 62 and shaft 34 has a similar gear 63, both of which remain in mesh with gear '61, so that the cam shafts 33 and 34 are rocked to their different positions they will be always rotated in unison in similar direction, whether forward or reverse, accorlling to the direction of rotation of main shaft 3. The above described gearing is shown clearlyin Figs. 1 ,8213 and 13*, "and spiral gears are illustrated as a convenient means for transmitting the desired rotathat are adapted to receive such air.

tions from main shaft 3 shafts 33 and 34.

As a convenient means for operating the water pump-27 and air pump 29, I have shown the shaft 57 as provided with a crank to the adjustable cam 57 a to which the connecting rods 27 and 29 lows:Assuming that it is desired to start the engine .to run in a forward direction, the operator shifts handle 35 so that cam shaft 33 will be alined with the valve operating arms or stems; he the n rocks the shafts 39 and 45 to set the-igniter arms 41 over cams 38 and arms 48. over the cams 50, and admits compressed air through pipe 28 to the cylinders In the type of engine illustrated, at least one of the pistons will be in position to receive the force ofsuch air and thereupon the main shaft 3 will be started, as in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 9, and the cam shafts 33 and 34 will be: rotated. When the forcing piston about reaches the limit of its forward stroke it will uncover the main discharge portlO of its cylinder and the compressed air in such cylinder wilhrush out of the port or passage 10 into casing 161and thereupon the air in such cylinder will be reduced substantially to atmospheric pressure, and this action of discharge will be followed in each of the compressed air cylinders -so long as the arms 48 are held over the cams 50, and thus several strokes may be made by the action of the compressed air, if required. Of course, as soon as shaft 3 rotates by the action of the compressed air the cylinders not equipped with the'compressed air valves will begin to act in the manner of a gas engine, by drawing in and compressing fuel charges, until one .or more explosions take place in such cylinders, and then the arms 48 may be withdrawn from the cams 50 and all the cylinders will then act in the manner of a gas engine. Not only does the main exhaust of compressed air take place through the main discharge passages 10, but the main body of exhaust .products of combustion while the engine is running as a gas engine are also discharged through the passages 10 as soon as the respective pistons uncover said passages on the forward or explosion strokes. The exhaust valves 7 by reason of the arrange: ment of cams 37 open at every second forward or working stroke of the pistons, but as the main portions of the exhaust products ofcombustion andthe compressed air escape .through the respective passages 10 at about the end of the forward strokes of all pistons, the exhaust valves 7 merely permit the exhaust from the cylindersof any gas that remains on the return strokes. It will be noted that the exhaust valves 7 only open on every second revolution of main shaft 3 whether an explosive mixture or com ressed air is operating the pistons, from w iich it follows that compressed air, reduced substantially to atmospheric pressure, remains in the cylinders after each forward stroke using compressed .air, and on each alternate return or out dersteod that no valves, cams, or other devices are provided or used for relieving the compressed air from the cylinders other than the main exhaust passages 10 and regular exhaust valves 7, all of which operate precisely the same whether the engine be operated temporarily with air or continuously with an explosive mixture, and by this means theoperator has nothing to do with respect to con-2' trolling the exhaust of compressed air from the cylinders any more than with spent gas products.

To drive the engine in the direction re-' verse to that above stated, the operator shifts handle 35, as by throwing it over to the right .in Fig. 9, which moves cam shaft 33 away from the valve and spark controlling arms and brings the cams of shaft 34 in line with such arms, and thereupon when compressed air is admitted-to the corresponding cylinders the pistons will drive shaft 3 in such reverse direction, owing to the relative positions of the cams upon shaft 34, and the engine will 0' erate in manner similar to that above descri ed. .It will'be understood, of course, that if the engine be operating and it is desired tov reverse, the shaft 30 will be moved to acentral position, as in Fig. 18, so that neither camshaft 33 nor 34 will be inoperative position with respect to the valve and spark operating stems, whereby the engine will cease to run, as by reason of the compression with the cylinders, and then when the shaft 3 is stationary, the shaft 30 will be shifted in either. direction, as desired, to bring shaft 33 or 34 inoperative relation to.

combination of a plurality of cylinders each pro nded with valved fuel inlets and valved exhaust outlets, acompressed fluid inlet valves, and means for rotating said shafts by leading to certain of said cylinders, valves for the engine. said fluid inlets, a plurality of shafts each carrying cams for'operating said exhaust valves 5 and fluid inlet valves, means to support said Witnesses: I

shafts for moving either of them into and out FRANK RYALL,

of operative position with respect to said T. F. BBUM.

E. W. GRAEF. 

